


Lips Like Sugar

by FleetSparrow



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bakery, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 11:16:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16973586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetSparrow/pseuds/FleetSparrow
Summary: Dick works in a bakery.  Bruce comes in to try it.  He gets a little more than he was looking for.





	1. Come In

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old fic from 2014 that I continued over a couple of prompts.

Dick eyed the tall man who kept wandering back and forth along the pastry display case.  He looked rich– at least, his clothes did– but he perused the food with the intensity of someone searching for the most delicious, but inexpensive item.  After a while of pretending to be working on setting up a different display and stealthily glancing over in the man’s direction, Dick got bored.

He leaned on the counter nearest the display.  "What are you hungry for?“

The man jumped slightly, looking up at Dick with an almost guilty expression.  "I’m not quite sure yet.  Everything you have looks so good.”

Dick pretended to not notice the way the man’s eyes roved over him instead of the pastries.

“Well, maybe I could interest you in the acrobuns.”

“‘Acrobuns’?”

Dick gestured back at the giant Flying Graysons poster on the back wall.  "My family’s from the circus, so I tried to make things circus-themed.  My parents made this really delicious light bread that we used to eat before performances.  Hence, 'acrobuns’.“

The other man nodded.  "Ah, I see.  That’s a nice… family touch.”

Dick smirked.  "Wanna try some?“

"Alright.  And I’ll take a 'Zitka lemon cake’, too.”

“A great choice.”  Dick packaged up the pastries and started to ring up the order.  "Is there anything else you want?“

"A coffee, two shots of cream.”

Dick turned around to the coffee machine, firing it up.  He glanced back over his shoulder, pleased to see the way he was being watched.  Although he had a half-full can of creamer by the coffee machine, he made a point to reach up to the spare can on the shelf above, stretching out long.  The soft clearing of a throat behind him made him grin.

“Here you go…?”  Dick raised an eyebrow, silently asking for his name.

“Bruce,” he replied, making a point to brush his fingers against Dick’s as he took the drink.

“Nice to meet you, Bruce,” Dick said.  "If you like those, come back for some tomorrow and I’ll give you my number.“

Bruce nodded.  "I’ll make sure to do that.”

Dick shrugged one shoulder, smiling.  "You can see how those stack up to my acrobuns.“  Without another word, he moved down the pastry display to greet a new customer, leaving Bruce blushing at the counter.


	2. Sweeter Than Sugar

“And this is our Big Top Special,” Dick said, taking a cookie from his tray and holding it out for Bruce to take a bite.  "It’s got three kinds of chocolate chips, a splash of cinnamon, and just a pinch of an ingredient so secret I can’t tell you or else I’d have to kill you.“

Bruce hummed in curiosity and took a bite, letting his lips graze over Dick’s fingers before pulling away.  They were in the backroom of Dick’s shop, squeezed around a table made for one that was completely covered by Dick’s tray of cookies.  Bruce had been selected to test Dick’s latest creations and although he certainly didn’t mind the company, Dick’s tastes seemed to be… eclectic, even in food.

"You like it?” Dick asked, holding the other half of the cookie between them, as if he wasn’t sure whether Bruce wanted another bite or if he should eat it.

Bruce nodded and chewed, letting the flavors wash over his tongue.  "It’s rich,“ he said, once he had swallowed enough of it.  "Is that….?”  He took a breath, focusing inwards for a second.  The cookie left an odd aftertaste, sweet and crystally like….  "Maple?“

Dick groaned and hung his head.  "Bruce!  Now I have to kill you!”

“Please don’t,” he said, cracking a small grin.

Dick just shoved the other half of the cookie in his mouth.  " _Fine._   As long as you promise not to go telling everyone my secret!“

Bruce nodded, somberly.  "I promise I won’t.”

Dick smiled.  "Good.  OK, now you can try… Half-Moonstroke, the Sugarnator!“

Bruce eyed the cookie warily and made a mental note to talk to Dick about his naming scheme.


	3. Sugar Kisses

Bruce winced as the bakery’s back door lock made a loud clunk as he turned his key.  It was just going on five in the morning, and only the palest of light came over the buildings, mostly the glow of the streetlights reflecting off the low-hanging clouds.  Dick had been upset last night and Bruce had been too caught up in meetings to get away and try and calm him.  By the time Bruce had been able to send a reply text, the only message he received was, “Baking. ntb” which meant he should stay out of it.

Still, when Dick hadn’t written anything else after five hours, Bruce thought he should check up on him.

The front part of the bakery was dark, but there was a dim light coming from the back hallway, and as Bruce slipped inside, he could see brighter light from the kitchen.

The smell of baked goods was thick in the air, almost too sweet after the early morning smells from outside.  Bruce made his way to the kitchen, walking as quietly as he could.  He had been expecting to hear the sounds of mixers, or pans sliding in and out of ovens, or even the faint sound of Dick singing some song he’d forgotten half the lyrics to but had been stuck in his head for days.

The kitchen was silent.

Bruce pushed the door open gently, not wanting to startle Dick if he was focusing on decorating or moving hot baking sheets, but Dick was nowhere to be found.  The counters were covered with bowls and flour, the cooling racks almost overflowing with cookies.

“Dick?” Bruce called softly, letting the door swing shut behind him.

A knot started forming in his gut.  He couldn’t tell if there had been a struggle, not with the way the kitchen looked anyway, but what if there had been a robbery?  He hadn’t noticed anything amiss with the storefront, but he hadn’t been looking for broken windows or anything.  Dick could be gone.  Dick could be bleeding out somewhere after trying to defend his building.  Dick could be–

Bruce hurried across the kitchen, hoping he wasn’t too late for the horrible scenario he imagined.  His foot caught on something on the floor, and he stumbled, crying out in shock.  A moan came from the direction of the little table in the corner.

 

Dick was asleep in a chair, his legs stretched out across the floor where Bruce had tripped on them.  Dick was covered in white powder, his apron wrapped around him like a blanket.  He frowned at the disturbance, but didn’t open his eyes.

Bruce walked over and brushed his fingers against Dick’s powder covered cheek.  It was fine, smooth, and stuck to his fingers even from that brief contact.

Dick didn’t react.

Bruce licked his fingers absently.  Confectioner’s sugar.  “What did you do to yourself?” he asked, dusting off his hands.

Dick just pulled his apron around him tighter.

“Dick.  It’s Bruce.  I’m here.”

“Two minutes,” Dick said, curling in on himself.

Bruce frowned in confusion, but if Dick wanted him to wait two more minutes to talk to him, he’d wait.  He picked up Dick’s phone from the table, miraculously not covered in sugar, and tried to see if Dick had sent him any messages that hadn’t gone through.  The phone wouldn’t turn on.  That explained a lot.

Setting the phone down, Bruce looked back at the mess of a kitchen.  The digital display of the oven caught his eye.

_1:44_

_1:43_

Bruce’s mouth slowly fell open.  It had probably been about fifteen seconds since Dick had spoken to him.  If that was true, then Dick’s inner timer was frightening.

Bruce meandered over to the cooling cookies as he waited, contemplating stealing a couple to try, but deciding against it.  If Dick wasn’t upset anymore, he might feed some to him, and that would definitely be worth the wait.

The first beep of the oven timer had barely finished when Dick stood up, looking as wide awake as ever.  He pulled the sheets out of the oven with ease, switching it off as he stacked the trays to cool.

“That’s the last batch,” he said, pulling off his oven mitts.  “I got a little carried away.”

“I got that impression.”  Bruce looked around at the cooling cookies and the scattered kitchen.  “I’m sorry I couldn’t be here.”

Dick sighed.  “It’s OK.  I just needed a little time.”

He wiped his face with the back of his hand, smearing sugar across it.  Bruce chuckled and stepped forward, taking Dick’s hands.  “We should get you cleaned up.  Then we can see about tackling this kitchen.”

“I’ve got four minutes and twenty-eight seconds until I need to move them over,” Dick said, glancing back at the fresh cookies.  “But yeah, I can clean up.”

“How do you do that?”

Dick shrugged.  “I dunno.  I guess I learned it at the circus.  You’ve gotta be good with your timing, y’know.  A second off is a big difference.”

Bruce nodded, but his attention was all on Dick’s face, not on his words.  “You’re amazing.”

“That’s sweet.”

“No, this is sweet.”  Bruce kissed Dick’s cheek, the sugar catching on his lips.  “ _You’re_  amazing.”

Dick smiled for the first time all night.  It was tired and thinner than usual, but no less bright.  He took Bruce’s hand and leaned against his chest.  “Thank you for coming.  I’m sorry you’re up so early.”

Bruce wrapped his free arm tightly around Dick, ignoring the powder rubbing off on his shirt.  “I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

Dick closed his eyes, his weight shifting more to Bruce.  For a moment, it looked like he had fallen asleep, his breathing evening out quickly.

“I’ll make some coffee,” he said.  “We can have cookies for breakfast.  You can help me put them in the case.”

“That sounds delightful.”

“Then we can sleep,” Dick said.

“Not covered in sugar.”

“But how will we have sweet dreams?”

Bruce cupped Dick’s face in his hands.  “Just being with you is sweet enough.”


End file.
